The case of BrewDog: Utilizing semiotics in lifestyle branding to establish and maintain brand authenticity at different stages of growth
(2024) SKOM12 20231Department of Strategic Communication
- Abstract
- Brand authenticity plays a crucial role in a brand’s growth according to previous research, but little research has been conducted to examine how growth may affect brand authenticity. It has been conventional practice in the branding world to study brand authenticity based predominantly on consumer perceptions rather than studying brands’ ability to remain authentic over an extended time period. A key objective of this case study is to illustrate how BrewDog, one of Scotland’s most successful lifestyle brands, constructs authenticity for its shareholder community and leverages communication strategies to maintain it while facing the challenges that go hand in hand with the brand’s growth. In this thesis, a semiotic narrative analysis... (More)
- Brand authenticity plays a crucial role in a brand’s growth according to previous research, but little research has been conducted to examine how growth may affect brand authenticity. It has been conventional practice in the branding world to study brand authenticity based predominantly on consumer perceptions rather than studying brands’ ability to remain authentic over an extended time period. A key objective of this case study is to illustrate how BrewDog, one of Scotland’s most successful lifestyle brands, constructs authenticity for its shareholder community and leverages communication strategies to maintain it while facing the challenges that go hand in hand with the brand’s growth. In this thesis, a semiotic narrative analysis approach is used to analyze BrewDog’s strategic documents in order to obtain essential information regarding the brand’s mission, vision, and performance, as well as to determine how the brand communicates authenticity to its community at different stages of its growth. Considering the rising popularity of lifestyle branding in recent years, this thesis contributes to the strategic communication literature within this domain, which is ripe for further research. It also provides communication professionals with practical guidance in navigating this terrain. In light of the study’s findings, particularly in regard to maintaining authenticity, lifestyle brands should develop a robust meaning-making system by enhancing their strategic communication and developing a range of congruent strategic documents. However, the results from the data indicate that a new dimension of branding is emerging, which the author identifies as mission branding (a sub-branch of lifestyle branding). The results revealed four pillars that support mission branding as a way to maintain the authenticity of lifestyle brands during different phases of growth: fluid brand authenticity, manifest communications, community empowerment, and, finally, cultural innovation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9147431
- author
- Siriehová, Tamara LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SKOM12 20231
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- brand authenticity, growth, lifestyle branding, narrative analysis, semiotics
- language
- English
- id
- 9147431
- date added to LUP
- 2024-04-11 10:01:48
- date last changed
- 2024-04-11 10:01:48
@misc{9147431,
abstract = {{Brand authenticity plays a crucial role in a brand’s growth according to previous research, but little research has been conducted to examine how growth may affect brand authenticity. It has been conventional practice in the branding world to study brand authenticity based predominantly on consumer perceptions rather than studying brands’ ability to remain authentic over an extended time period. A key objective of this case study is to illustrate how BrewDog, one of Scotland’s most successful lifestyle brands, constructs authenticity for its shareholder community and leverages communication strategies to maintain it while facing the challenges that go hand in hand with the brand’s growth. In this thesis, a semiotic narrative analysis approach is used to analyze BrewDog’s strategic documents in order to obtain essential information regarding the brand’s mission, vision, and performance, as well as to determine how the brand communicates authenticity to its community at different stages of its growth. Considering the rising popularity of lifestyle branding in recent years, this thesis contributes to the strategic communication literature within this domain, which is ripe for further research. It also provides communication professionals with practical guidance in navigating this terrain. In light of the study’s findings, particularly in regard to maintaining authenticity, lifestyle brands should develop a robust meaning-making system by enhancing their strategic communication and developing a range of congruent strategic documents. However, the results from the data indicate that a new dimension of branding is emerging, which the author identifies as mission branding (a sub-branch of lifestyle branding). The results revealed four pillars that support mission branding as a way to maintain the authenticity of lifestyle brands during different phases of growth: fluid brand authenticity, manifest communications, community empowerment, and, finally, cultural innovation.}},
author = {{Siriehová, Tamara}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The case of BrewDog: Utilizing semiotics in lifestyle branding to establish and maintain brand authenticity at different stages of growth}},
year = {{2024}},
}